We all knew it was coming but when it came, it was still a jolt. The Green Bay Packers have worked out the trade that will bring the 18 year career of Aaron Rodgers to an end, at least in Titletown. He is New York bound after all, joining the Jets as soon as all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed. Just minutes before General Manager Brian Gutekunst was scheduled to address reporters with his pre-draft news conference, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the compensation was agreed upon by Gutekunst and his counterpart, New York GM Joe Douglas.
The teams will swap first round draft choices Thursday night, with Green Bay now picking 13th while New York gets the Pack’s 15th overall choice. The Jets will also get Green Bay’s 5th round pick, number 170 overall. Coming to the Packers will be one of New York’s 2nd round picks, number 42 overall, a 6th rounder (207) and a conditional 2nd round pick in 2024 that could ascend to a first round choice if Rodgers plays at least 65% of the team’s snaps this fall.
The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the Jets and Rodgers are also in the process of restructuring his contract that will lesson the financial obligations of the Packers. He was scheduled to make 59.5 million dollars in 2023 if he had remained in Green Bay.
Gutekunst opened his press conference by thanking his personnel department team for the hard work preparing for this week’s draft but almost all of the remaining 25 minutes was spent on the trade.
In consecutive off-seasons, Gutekunst has dealt the NFL’s first team All Pro wide receiver in Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders and now a four time NFL MVP in Rodgers. He admits there are risks but he said that’s part of being an NFL GM. Gutekunst said “we were 8-9 a year ago” and “great players come, great players go”. The organization felt it was time to start pointing toward the future but the goal to compete for a championship never changes.
15 years ago, Ted Thompson made the same call to the same team, sending Brett Favre to the Jets after he reversed course on retirement, gaining only a 4th round conditional pick in 2009 that turned into a third rounder. Thompson would parlay that pick with two others to trade back into the first round of that draft to select Clay Matthews. On the surface, it looks like Gutekunst will be able to acquire even more talent to build around his quarterback of the future who becomes the quarterback of the present, Jordan Love.
In what became the latest drawn out drama after several years of drama surrounding Rodgers, many fans are expressing relief that the end has come. I had the opportunity to speak to a member of the Packer Board of Directors and a Director Emeritus Monday night and both said they were happy the change has finally been made. One even said Rodgers had become “Aaron arrogant” in recent years and it’s exciting to see a new generation of players getting their opportunity with the Packers.
After three decades of first ballot Hall of Fame play at the game’s most important position, there will be some pain moving forward but the Packers have taken the first and biggest step forward by completing the trade of one of the most iconic and successful players in franchise history.
